The Czech Finance Ministry submitted plans to start taxing global internet giants from the middle of 2020, proposing a 7% rate on targeted advertising, multilateral digital interface use and user data sales, it said on Thursday. The tax will apply to revenues from online advertising, the sale of user data, and intermediation services, and will only target companies with a global turnover of 750 million euros or more with sales in the Czech Republic of at last 50 million crowns (1.9 million euros) per year. The tax could raise state revenue of 2.1 billion crowns for the 2020 budget and 5 billion crowns annually after that. “Internet giants do not pay taxes in our country to an extent that would match their profits, which is unfair to other companies in the Czech Republic that pay taxes,” said Finance Minister Alena Schillerová. “We have long supported the search for a common international solution, but unfortunately negotiations at EU and OECD levels will take some time. And because we can no longer wait and see the unequal competition of global giants with other entrepreneurs, we come up with our own temporary digital tax adjustment until an international compromise will be found.” The Czech Republic...
EU residents spent 377 euro for a vacation in 2017 on average, while the residents of the Czech Republic ranked last, with a 140-euro average allotted for their holidays, according to data released by Eurostat on Tuesday. Czechs spent around €72 for domestic trips and €430 for holidays abroad. All trips included, they spent an average of €34 per night. Slovaks appear much less cost-conscious, with an average expenditure of €249 per trip (€138 in Slovakia and €454 for outbound trips), or an average of €62 per night – nearly twice as much as Czechs. The biggest spenders in Europe in terms of vacations are the residents of Luxembourg, with a 769-euro average for a holiday in 2017, followed by those of Austria (641 euro) and those of Malta (633 euro). On the opposite end, there are those from Hungary (161 euro for a vacation in 2017), Latvia (155 euro), Bulgaria (153 euro). The Eurostat data also show that in only eight of the 28 EU member states more than half of the total expenses on tourism were made in domestic destinations. Romania is a leader in this chapter (where 79 percent of the 2.245 billion euro of the total...
The Old Town Square is one of the most touristic places in Prague and locals rather avoid its tourist traps and high prices. However, there is one hidden gem that is pretty well hidden, without any sights and direction. It’s Skautský Institut, fabulous place with courtyard, reasonable prices and friendly atmosphere created by local scouts. Meeting place not only for Scouts Once you find the entrance, pass the reception, and see the impressive courtyard, that looks like from the old Czech movies. Climb the stairs up to the first floor, and you will find a maze with corridors and numerous doors. Just follow the sign to the café and/or admire the view to the courtyard where you can take your drink and grab a book from bookshelves. Café itself is in a minimalistic style, with wooden decor, branches over the ceilings and furniture crafted by scouts and volunteers. You can find three rooms full of chairs, tables, bookshelves, and even with a piano. My favorite spot is definitely in a small spire with a tiny table where you can observe people at the Oldtown square watching the Astronomical clock because you are almost next to it! Another great place...
The Czech Republic ranks among the best countries in the world for foreign residents, according to a new survey carried out by international foreign resident community InterNations. Overall, the Czech Republic ranks 10th out of 64 destinations. It ranks second in the world for working abroad, as well as among the best countries for families (fourth) and quality of life (seventh). Almost all respondents (96 per cent) rate the opportunity to travel highly, while 95 per cent are impressed with the transportation infrastructure in the country. However, it’s not all good news for the Czech Republic: the country ranks just 56th globally for ease of settling in. Foreign residents in the Czech Republic are particularly unimpressed with the friendliness of the locals: just two in five (40 per cent) rate the general friendliness of the population positively. The language barrier is one issue that gets identified as a problem Although 56 per cent of respondents agree that it is easy to live in the country without knowing the local language, just 13 per cent agree that learning it is easy. In fact, fewer than one in ten (nine per cent) can speak it very well.
The Czech Republic made history by advancing to the second round after a 91-76 upset victory over Turkey on Thursday. In their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup, they join the USA to make it out of Group E. The Czech Republic were led by Vojtech Hruban, who had 18 points, and Ondrej Balvin, who added 17 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Both teams began the game having recorded one win and one loss, with the winner guaranteed a ticket to the tournament’s second stage. “Our team played really amazingly,” said Czech coach Ronen Ginzburg. “They did what I asked and more. They are lions. We will celebrate this win for a long time, personally and as a country. Against Turkey we won the ball and didn’t let them run.” “During the game, we tried to do lots of things but they pushed hard to play against us with a tough defense,” said Turkey assistant coach Recep Sen. “We tried to come back and we did but they answered. We are sorry for our fans.” Although Cedi Osman had a game-high 24 points for Turkey, five Czech players managed double-digit points for their victory, with Ondrej Balvin notching 17 points...
The Czech Center New York together with its partners have prepared a rich and varied program of events dedicated to the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. The overarching theme of the events is freedom. Concerts, theater performances, exhibitions, film screenings, discussions, and other programs will be held at the Bohemian Nation Hall in Manhattan from September to November 2019. The main events include the performance of Audience, the one-act theater play by Václav Havel, starring Jakub Špalek and Jan Potměšil. The actors are also figures who have become part of the history of the Velvet Revolution itself, and they will discuss their experiences and insights after their performance, which is part of the Rehearsal for Truth Theater Festival. No less expected is the concert of the band Garage, one of the symbols of the Czech independent music scene. Just like Audience, the Garage concert will be performed in two other American cities as well: Washington, D.C. and Chicago. The Czech Center New York Gallery will also present two exhibitions. The exhibition Václav Havel, Citizen and Dramatist, prepared by the Arts and Theater Institute (Prague), will be on view from September through October. In November and December,...
Vienna has held off Melbourne to retain the top spot on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index for 2019, further strengthening its reputation as the world’s most pleasant city, while the ‘gilets jaunes’ protests hurt Paris’ score. Melbourne, Australia took the second-place spot, following close behind Vienna’s score. Vienna had taken the top spot from Melbourne last year after seven consecutive years at No. 1. Sydney, Australia; Osaka, Japan; and Calgary, Canada make up the remaining top five on the annual Global Liveability Index of 140 cities around the world. Not one U.S. city landed in the top 10 this year. Honolulu scored the highest among U.S. cities, ranking 22nd. Atlanta trailed at 33rd, followed by Pittsburgh at 34th and Seattle at 36th. The EIU’s index ranks cities by five headline criteria. Stability and culture & environment are the two most important categories, weighted equally at 25% of the total. Healthcare and infrastructure are also matched at 20%, with education coming in last with a 10% weighting. Damascus in war-torn Syria remained the worst-ranked city, below Lagos in Nigeria and the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, which swapped places. The world’s most liveable cities 2019 1. Vienna, Austria 2. Melbourne, Australia...
Simply Clever and electric: ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab launches an eScooter sharing service, BeRider, in Prague. BeRider is now beginning its pilot phase. The BeRider scooters’ electric drive system is powered by two lithium-ion batteries. Fitted with LED headlights as well as front and rear brake discs, BeRider enables users to make headway safely and efficiently in urban traffic. Being lightweight, the electric scooter is handy and easy to manoeuvre. Its large wheels and sturdy suspension guarantee a safe and comfortable ride. As is typical for an electric vehicle, it boasts powerful acceleration and can reach a top speed of 66 km/h. With a range of up to 70 km, the zero-emission electric scooters are ideal for short to mid-range distances. Jarmila Plachá, Head of ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab, said, “Our BeRider service excellently complements the range of inner-city mobility options available in Prague. Whether for travelling to work or a sightseeing tour, BeRider electric scooters are practical, eco-friendly and user-friendly. At the same time, we are incorporating our digital expertise: every BeRider scooter is equipped with sensors that transfer data in real-time. Due to this level of transparency, we are able to improve our customers’ experience when they use scooters.” The...
Okay, guys, calm down. Now you can loosen the reins of your visa questions a bit, and give it to Red panda’s hands. I know there are plenty of insurance agencies in the Czech Republic, but would they give you a cute panda? Or many other cool gifts? Red panda is the largest insurance agency in the Czech Republic founded in 2011. About 56% of foreign students use its services. The agency also collaborates with all insurance companies for foreigners such as Maxima, pVZP, Uniqa, Slavia, Axa/Ipa, Ergo, pVZP Exclusive. As soon as you become a member of Red panda (automatically right after you use its service), you can choose gifts up to 5000 CZK. Such tickets to Germany, a free meal at Brambor King, Italian wine and many more. Usually, the process of preparing documents for a visa is stressful. Especially if you have a lot of stuff going on in life. “Our clients can fully rely on us and forget about doing everything on their own. We have people who leave for holidays and they don’t have to stress out about the visa by just signing the power of attorney under our company”, Rustam Galeev, Red panda’s founder...
Polish airline company LOT is launching five new flights from Budapest, to Seoul, Belgrade, Prague, Stuttgart, and Sofia. The first direct flight to Prague from Budapest will launch on March 30, 2020, and will fly twice every workday. To service the new flights, LOT will operate three new Embraer E-Jet planes from Budapest and hire 60 pilots and 150 stewardesses, he said. Prague Airport estimates that the connection could be used by up to 110,000 passengers per year in both directions. Tamás Menczer, the Hungarian foreign ministry’s state secretary in charge of communications and international representation, said that the announcement mirrors Hungary’s growing importance in Europe and the world. Budapest – Prague (daily except Sunday): 07:30 – 08:45 (daily except Saturday) 09:25 – 10:35 Prague – Budapest: (daily except Sunday): 09:25 – 10:35 (daily except Saturday): 20:05 – 21:15
Prague 6 municipality has covered the statue of a Soviet marshal whose forces liberated Prague in WWII, claiming it needs protection from vandals. The move angered many Czechs, including the president’s spokesman. Authorities in the northwestern Bubeneč district announced that they can no longer keep cleaning the monument to Marshal Ivan Konev after continuous acts of vandalism against it, so they decided to cover it with a tarpaulin. The move, announced by the mayor of Prague 6, Ondrej Kolar, caused an immediate backlash. Several dozen people protested against the decision on Monday at the statue’s location, including the Czech president’s spokesman Jiri Ovčaček. “We have different opinions and we choose different political parties, but one thing connects us, we reject the rewriting of history and we reject people who trample on the values of democracy,” Ovčaček said in a speech. He was one of the multiple Czechs protesting the covering-up as it happened. He posted a photo of him bowing his head before Konev’s statue on his Twitter account, calling him “liberator of the Czech Republic and of the Auschwitz death camp.” The Russian Embassy condemned the timing of Kolar’s decision, made “in the run-up to the 80th anniversary of the most horrific military...
Prague City Hall is running a new website Prague for All which is primarily intended for migrants living in Prague. At the same time, it is a source of information for all inhabitants of the capital city of Prague, which is becoming more and more culturally diverse just like a number of other big European cities. This website is available in several language versions – the ones that newcomers in Prague speak the most. It is designed as a reference point of the most important information and contacts for organisations, offices and their departments. The aim is to enable migrants to get as much information as possible about dealing with everyday situations and living in the city that has become their new home. The website also provides information about courses of Czech, cultural events and opportunities to participate in public life, which give migrants a chance to integrate into life in the capital city and in the Czech Republic. You can follow the Facebook page here
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